MANAGING THE

QUALITY OF
CONSULTING
ENGAGEMENT
“QUALITY
IS THE BEST BUSINESS PLAN. “
-JOHN LASSETER
Project Evaluation
and Controls
Project evaluation and controls provide
the means of successfully administering
the w o r k p l a n .
The specific objectives of project
evaluation

■ To provide assurance that the project is on

schedule and within budget.

■ To communicate the exact project status of all

concerned personnel.

■ To ensure that a quality product will be

implemented.
The project controls generally include the
following:

■ Administrative controls

■ Time reporting procedures

■ Independent quality assurance reviews.

Administrative Controls
Administrative Controls
■ administrative framework is organized which
should include individuals who have direct interest
in the quality of the final product.
■ in accordance with the size of the project and the
client
Administrative Controls
■ The administrative framework would normally consist of:

1. one or more client managament committees, with

representatives from user areas.

2.the top (executive) management, and

3. the information processing services department.

Administrative Controls
■Project steering committee

– maintains direct control over the project.

-Project leader and manager of the information processing
services department.

■Management advisory committee – coordinates the activities

of the information processing services department.
Time Reporting and
Analysis Procedures
Time Reporting and Analysis
Procedures

Time reporting and analysis procedures are necessary to

keep the project within its time schedule and peso budget.
Time Reporting and Analysis
Procedures
Objectives:

1. To provide project management with

information necessary for planning,
administering and controlling the project.
2. To prepare and control the project work
program updates.
3. To assist the project leader in preparing
management status reports.
4. To account for all time used on the project by
the team members.
Independent Quality Assurance
Reviews
Independent Quality Assurance
Reviews
Objectives:
1. The system satisfies all user requirements and is
operable on a day-to-day basis without assistance.
2. The system is being developed within the time frame
and cost estimates originally agreed upon.
3. The system employs satisfactory methods and
techniques that are within the sphere of competence
of the majority of client personnel.
4. The presentation and format of all procedures,
documentations and coding are neat, well organized
and in conformance with established client
standards.
Independent Quality Assurance
Reviews
Independent Reviews – to be performed by someone who is
not associated with the project and has a skill level at least as
high as of that project leader.

Quality Assurance Checklists – contain a series of

questions concerning the quality of work performed and
should be prepared by the project supervisor responsible for
the work and reviewed by both the project leader and
independent reviewer.
Maintaining Controls Over
Competence and Service Quality

- An operational definition of its practice scope, including a list of services

that it desires to provide.

- A clear understanding of its clients, their requirements, and the services

that the firm might propose providing to each.

- The standards by which proposed services are to be evaluated with

respect to their suitability for delivery.

The criteria by which need personnel are to be recruited.

The programs for the achievement of needed staff development.
Maintaining Controls Over
Competence and Service Quality
Types of Controls

Preventive Controls (before-the-fact controls) – establish benchmarks of

expected performance

Feedback Controls (after-the-fact controls) – measure actual

performance and compare it with the expected performance.
Maintaining Controls Over
Competence and Service Quality

To ensure the maintenance of sound controls over competence and quality

of services of the consulting firm, the following steps may be taken:

Service Review – to assess the consulting firm’s objectives, offered

services and record of competence in the provision of service since the last
review.

Appoint Practice Director – to establish responsibility for practice

competence and quality control. He should propose practice goals and
supervise the overall service planning process and be responsible for
practice conduct.
Maintaining Controls Over
Competence and Service Quality
Appoint Service Coordinator – to administer daily operations related to the
provision of management and consulting services. Other responsibilities:

- Assign appropriate staff consultants to engagement after consultation with

managers-in-charge.
- Obtain positive evidence that the delivery of services on each
engagement is in accordance with firm policies.
- Pinpoint and report knowledge or skill deficiencies and recommend staff
development steps to correct the,.
- Coordinate all practice development activities, including the screening of
prospective engagement.
- Devise and administer a plan of staff training, consisting of both on-the-job
and formal training courses.
Maintaining Controls Over
Competence and Service Quality

Perform Engagement Analysis – Information to be collected:

Client, including name, address, service location, client control, referral

- Engagement service classification code

- Other engagement with this client
- Staff consultant who were assigned to each engagement, their - tasks and
hours spent on each task
- Total engagement hours, billed as well as those not billed
- Summary of other costs
- Closing date of engagement
- Engagement evaluation and recommended follow-up
Maintaining Controls Over
Competence and Service Quality
Perform Staff Competence Evaluation – Steps for evaluation:
The evaluator should study the following pertaining to the staff members
being evaluated:

- Personnel file
- File of engagement participation
- File of competence and experience
- The evaluator should make certain that the engagement file - - fully
reflects all information concerning all engagements in - - - which the staff
member participated.
- The evaluator should complete a competency evaluation checklist
- The evaluator should meet personally with the staff members to discuss
the evaluation itself.
 Special
Considerations for
the Sole Practioner
Operating as a
Management
Consultant
Self-Assessment

Make an autobiography.
List all areas of your special interest, achievement, knowledge and
personal satisfaction.
List all your skills.
List all your talents.
List all your attributes.
List all the skills and attributes you lack that you believe are necessary
for a consulting business.
 Scope of
Consulting
Practice
Organizing the Practice
Financing Requirements
- Financing can be provided by capital invested by the present
consultant (or the initial group of consultants) or by funds borrowed from banks
and others.

Time Scheduling
- to develop multiple consulting engagements, the consultant will have
a problem of time scheduling - figuring out how to perform all of the work both
profitably and on time.
Organizing the Practice
Financing Requirements
- Financing can be provided by capital invested by the present
consultant (or the initial group of consultants) or by funds borrowed from banks
and others.

Time Scheduling
- to develop multiple consulting engagements, the consultant will have
a problem of time scheduling - figuring out how to perform all of the work both
profitably and on time.
Organizing the Practice

Billing and Collections

- one of the consultant's most important considerations is how he/she
establishes professional fees.
Building the Practice

Initial Client Base

- The consultant should develop a base of clients to serve and use for
referrals.
 Positioning the Practice
Practice Development Network
Monitoring Results

Performance Measures
- Every business needs to maintain some type of scorecard to
determined whether or not it is achieving its goals and objectives.

Quality Control Standards

- important part of any consulting practice is establishing quality
control standards to ensure that the work is properly performed.
Thanks!

Any questions?
Quiz

1.